Port Vale and Arsenal are set to lock horns in the third round of the 2025/2026 Carabao Cup, but this isn’t just another cup tie—it’s a microcosm of a seismic shift happening across English football. As the whistle prepares to blow at 3:00 PM Eastern Time this Wednesday, September 24, fans from both sides of the Atlantic are tuning in, eager to see if underdog Port Vale can topple the mighty Arsenal, or if the Gunners will continue their quest to finally end their silverware drought.
For Arsenal, this match is more than just a step toward another trophy. The Gunners, one of England’s most storied clubs, have been on the cusp of greatness for several seasons now, tantalizing supporters with near-misses but ultimately falling short of the glory that once seemed routine. This Carabao Cup clash is seen as a crucial opportunity to regain momentum and put an end to years of frustration. As for Port Vale, the League One side finds itself near the bottom of the table, fighting tooth and nail to avoid relegation. Facing Arsenal is a daunting task, but the beauty of the cup lies in its unpredictability. Could Port Vale pull off a shocker and etch their name into cup folklore?
Fans in the United States won’t have to miss a beat, as the game will be broadcast live on Paramount+. The kickoff times are conveniently listed for viewers across every U.S. time zone, ensuring that supporters from coast to coast can tune in. There’s a sense of anticipation in the air—will Arsenal’s ambitions be derailed, or can Port Vale conjure up some magic on home soil?
But this fixture is just one chapter in a much bigger story. Behind the scenes, English football is experiencing a transformation unlike any before. The influx of American ownership has reached unprecedented levels. As of September 24, 2025, a staggering 11 Premier League clubs are majority-owned by American individuals, families, or private equity groups. The four most successful clubs in English football history—Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Chelsea—are all under American control. Even in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football, nine clubs, including the now-famous Wrexham, are majority-owned by Americans.
What’s fueling this American invasion? It’s a potent cocktail of glamour, sporting excitement, ego, and, above all, money. Chris Mann, head of sporting strategy and insight at Sportsology Group, told ESPN, “From an investment perspective, the track record is compelling and Manchester United serves as a prime example. The Glazers acquired the club for around £800 million in 2005, and by the time of Ineos' investment in February 2024, the total enterprise value of United was over £4 billion—that’s a 400% increase over 20 years.” The numbers are staggering, and they underscore why U.S. investors are so eager to get a piece of the English football pie.
American owners aren’t just dipping their toes in the water—they’re making waves. Celebrities like Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have turned Wrexham into a global brand, while NFL legend Tom Brady and music icon Snoop Dogg have staked their claims in Birmingham City and Swansea City, respectively. In the Premier League, Stan Kroenke’s Kroenke Sports & Entertainment owns Arsenal, while Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have taken the reins at Chelsea. Even Manchester City, though still majority-owned by Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour, has seen American private equity group Silver Lake acquire an 18% stake.
The appeal for American investors is multifaceted. There’s the potential for lucrative returns from broadcast rights, the value of prime real estate (Arsenal sold Emirates Stadium to Kroenke’s group for £120 million in 2022), and the chance to tap into a captive, loyal fan base. As Mann put it, “If you look at them as customers, they’re effectively a captive audience locked in due to their own loyalty, which means they can be relied upon to pay to watch their team, no matter what.”
But not everyone is thrilled with this new era. Fan reactions run the gamut from enthusiastic to outright hostile. Liverpool and Wrexham supporters have generally embraced their American owners, buoyed by success on the pitch and savvy marketing off it. Liverpool’s Fenway Sports Group has delivered two Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League crown, while investing heavily to keep stars like Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk. Wrexham, under Mac and Reynolds, has achieved back-to-back-to-back promotions and become a household name thanks to the "Welcome to Wrexham" documentary.
Manchester United fans, on the other hand, remain deeply critical of the Glazer family’s stewardship. The 2005 takeover loaded the club with £660 million of debt, and, according to supporters, has cost United £1.2 billion in interest payments, debt charges, and dividends over two decades. A spokesman for United’s fans’ group, The 1958, told ESPN, “Twenty years of the Glazers and their debt mountain is 20 years too long. Enough is enough. Football is consuming itself. What’s happening at Manchester United is a warning to every other club.”
American owners have brought new business models to English football, often focusing on entertainment, data analytics, and stadium upgrades. The American sports model has even crept into contract negotiations, with Chelsea signing players like Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson to nine-year deals, a practice quickly emulated by others. Yet, the specter of "Americanization"—with fears of salary caps, player drafts, or even regular-season games played overseas—remains largely unrealized. As one source told ESPN, “The American-owned clubs don’t march in step. There is no fear that the American owners are coming in and trying to Americanize the Premier League.”
The league’s structure itself acts as a bulwark against radical change. Any major rule shift requires the approval of 14 out of 20 Premier League clubs, making it nearly impossible for a single bloc—American or otherwise—to dictate terms. Still, the powerbase of English football is unmistakably shifting westward, with American influence growing stronger each season.
As the Port Vale vs. Arsenal match approaches, it’s clear that the stakes extend far beyond the result on the pitch. This is a showcase for the new era of English football—one where tradition, business, and global ambition collide. Whether you’re tuning in for the drama of the cup or watching the broader transformation unfold, one thing’s for certain: the beautiful game is changing, and all eyes are on what happens next.
For now, Arsenal will look to assert their dominance, Port Vale will hope for a fairytale, and the world will be watching—both for the action on the field and the shifting tides off it. The Carabao Cup may only be one competition, but tonight, it feels like the epicenter of a much bigger story.
